The first related application discloses a new form or type of integrated circuitry which effectively and efficiently combines and maximizes the various advantages of processors, application specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”), and field programmable gate arrays (“FPGAs”), while minimizing potential disadvantages. The first related application illustrates a new form or type of integrated circuit, referred to as an adaptive computing engine (“ACE”), which provides the programming flexibility of a processor, the post-fabrication flexibility of FPGAs, and the high speed and high utilization factors of an ASIC. This ACE integrated circuitry is readily reconfigurable, is capable of having corresponding, multiple modes of operation, and further minimizes power consumption while increasing performance, with particular suitability for low power applications, such as for use in hand-held and other battery-powered devices.
The second related application discloses a preferred system embodiment that includes an ACE integrated circuit coupled with one or more sets of configuration information. This configuration information is required to generate, in advance or in real-time (or potentially at a slower rate), the configurations and reconfigurations which provide and create one or more operating modes for the ACE circuit, such as wireless communication, radio reception, personal digital assistance (“PDA”), MP3 or MP4 music playing, or any other desired functions. Various methods, apparatuses and systems are also illustrated in the second related application for generating and providing configuration information for an ACE integrated circuit, for determining ACE reconfiguration capacity or capability, for providing secure and authorized configurations, and for providing appropriate monitoring of configuration and content usage.
A need remains, however, for an apparatus, method and system for not only configuring, but also operating such adaptive integrated circuitry, with one or more operating modes or other functionality of ACE circuitry and other ACE devices. Such an apparatus, method and system should be capable of configuring and operating the adaptive IC, utilizing both configuration information provided independently of user data or other content, and utilizing configuration information provided concurrently with user data or other content. Such an apparatus, method and system should provide the means to, among other things, coordinate configuration with data, provide self-routing of configuration and data, and provide power control within ACE circuitry.